A box of yet-to-be-tested dog DNA sits on Lakeshore at Axis assistant manager Jessica Connell's desk Tuesday; the residential community is testing left-behind fecal samples and fining owners for not picking up after their pooches.
By Charlie Peters
The Enterprise
Posted Apr 19, 2016 at 6:20 PM
Updated Apr 20, 2016 at 10:39 AM

BRIDGEWATER – A box containing dog waste sat on Jessica Connell’s desk Tuesday afternoon, all stamped up and ready to be mailed off.

But the Axis at Lakeshore assistant manager isn't seeking vengeance on a former tenant — she’s trying to solve a mystery.

Axis at Lakeshore, a Claremont Corporation residential community, began a dog DNA program at its Bridgewater complex earlier this month in hopes of eradicating a nasty problem that bothered residents.

“We were getting really frustrated with it, the fact that we’d walk out of our door and there was poop everywhere,” said first-floor tenant Alishia Sommers. “I’m glad they finally did something about it.”

Axis at Lakeshore management had the complex’s 87 dogs swabbed for DNA, which was then entered into a database. So if dog waste is left behind on the 289-unit property, it can be scooped up and sent to a laboratory for analysis.

Once there’s a match, there’s a fine: $200 for a first offense, $300 for a second and $500 for a third.

With the dogs swabbed on April 1 and the residents warned, it took 11 days before maintenance found the first forgotten sample.

Using a knife and plastic baggy sent by the DNA company — the aptly named PooPrints — a small piece of the evidence was collected, labeled and sent away a week ago. The results haven’t returned yet, but Connell said she is “wicked” excited to identify the offending party.

“I already called the company, asking how long it takes,” said Connell. “It’s very surprising that we’re still finding it, but we have residents emailing us when they find it. Once the first set of fines roll out and they see we’re actually doing it, that will probably start the dog park chatter.”

On a walk with Sommers and miniature dachshund Hermie, resident John Madden said he noticed an issue almost immediately after moving into the building in August.